Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



J. F. OCONNOR.

FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3, I9l9..

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

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J. F. OCONNOR.

FHICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 3,1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM I-I. MINER, 0F

CI-IAZY, NEW YORK. l

FRICTION SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISM.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Application filed April 3, 1919. Serial No. 287,174.

Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Shock-Ao sorbing Mechanisms, of which the following 1s a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism more particularly adapted for railway draft riggings and wherein the parts are compactly arranged.

More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide a friction gear for railway draft riggings so arranged that the same may go within a comparatively small space, approximately 181-, and having all of the friction elements and springs confined entirely between the sills. 4

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a part elevational view, part longitudinal, vertical section of a portion of a railway draft rigging showing my improvements in 'connection therewith. F 2 is a horizontal, sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a somewhat different embodiment of the invention. And Fig. 5 is a detail, perspective view of one of the friction shoes employed in the construction illustrated in Fig. 4;.

Referring first to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 10-10 denote channel-sh aped draft sills, to the inner faces of which are secured front and rear stops 11.-11 spaced 1871*, as illustrated in the drawings. The draw bar 12 is operatively associated with the shock absorbing mechanism proper by means of a yoke 13, and the parts are supported by a detachable saddle plate 14.

The improved shock absorbing mechanism, as shown, comprises four end friction wedges AMA. arranged in pairs at each end,

4latsrally or vertically movable :friction shoes B and C, a central friction plate D, and twiny springs E-E.

Each friction wedge A extends transversely substantially from sill to sill and is providedat its outer end with a vertical face as indicated at 15 adapted to be engaged by a :follower or equivalent shown in Fig. 1, the draw bar butt or the filler block in the yoke. Each block A is also provided with a wedge face 16 inclined toward the center line of the gear and also with a horizontal friction face 17 parallel to the center line of the gear.

The friction shoes B and C extend longitudinally between the end wedges A-A. The shoe C is provided at its ends with wedge faces 18-18 coperable with the corresponding wedge faces 16 of the two lower wedges A-A as viewed in Fig. 1. The friction shoe B is provided at the ends thereof ,with wedge faces 19--19 coperable with the corresponding wedge faces 16 of the upper wedges A*A.. The friction shoe B is provided with downwardly extended substantially annular flanges 20-,20 which merge as indicated at 21-21 in Fig. 2, said shoe B having also an integral wall 22 at the bottom of said flanges 20 so that, in effect, two cups or circular pockets are formed within which are received, centered `and guided, the springs E-E. The lower friction shoe C is formed with a pocket or recess 23, indicated in Fig. 3, to receive the lower part of the spring receiving cups or pockets of the friction shoe B. Axially of each annular flange 20, the lower wall 22 of the shoe B is perforated as indicated at 24C to accommodate a corresponding lug or boss 25 formed on the shoe C, as shown in Fig. 1. The shoe C is perforated to accommodate a pair ofbolts 26 extending up through the springs E and having heavy washers or followers 27 mounted thereon at the top and re- Y tained by suitable nuts 28.

that any longitudinal movement of the fric# tion shoe B will be accompanied by a corresponding longitudinal movement of the plate D. ln order to permit longitudinal movement of the shoe B with respect to the end wedges ier-A, the latter are provided with circular recesses as indicated at 31-31, the same normally clearing the ends of the spring forming pockets of the shoe B as shown in F ig. 2. l

ln operation, upon inward movement ofV the draw bar, the rear set or pair of wedges A-r'lr will be held stationary and as the front set of wedges trfle are forced relatively toward the rear set, the friction shoes B and C will be forced apart vertically or in a direction at right angles to the axis of the gear. This separating movement of the shoes B and C will, of course, be opposed by the springs l which are compressed between the lower wall 22 of the shoe l5 and the spring washers 24a- 27. Obviously, friction will be generated between the wedges iii- A and the shoes B and (l during the' movement just described. ln addition, friction will be generated between' all of the wedges A and the plate D since there will be relatively horizontal movement between all of said wedges A and the plate D since the latter is governed entirelyin its Alongitudinal movements by the position of the friction shoe D.

lV ith the arrangement described, it will be noted that all of the parts are contained within a relatively small space; the springs are compressed in a direction at right angles to the line of movement of the draw bai' but are confined entirely.Y between the sills, thus avoiding the necessity of perforating the sills so as to permit mounting of the springs outs'de of the latter; and all of the friction members can readily be manufactured in the form of ordinary castings, thus minimizing the initial cost of manufacture.

ln the construction illustrated in Figs. 4; and 5, the arrangement of draft sills, stops, draw bar, yoke and saddle plato is the same as in Figs. l, 2 and 3. lie friction mechanismV proper Y Vcomprises the same general arrangement as that shown in the other fi gures except for small variations. The end wedges lf-QA h( ve inclined wedge faces 116 and horizontalv friction faces llthe latter coperating with corresponding upper and lower friction faces 129 on a central. plate D. Two friction slices are employed referenced B and C', the same having end wedge faces 11.9,-119 coperable with the wedge faces 116. In the construction shown K in Figs. Lland 5, the shoes B and C are counterparts, one of them being illustrated in Fig. 5. As there shown, it willbe noted that the'same is provided with a plurality of rectangular, integrally formed, spaced loops LLO-dO. The loops 40 extend laterally from the main part of the corresponding shoe B or C and said loops are adapted to be overlapped or interfitted when the shoes B and C are assembled so that said loops d'rlform a substantially rectangular pocket within, which is received the spring E, as shown in Fig. el. In order that theV plate D may be properly assembled with the shoes B and C after the latter have hadtheir Y loops d() interlacedand the spring E placed therein, said plate D is formed in two sections, half on each side of the center line of the gear. This accounts for the showing of the plate D in Fig. i in elevation instead of in section, the division between the two parts of the plate D correspondingl to the plane of the section. -is will be understood, the two sections of the plate D are fitted over the. loops 4() of the shoes B and C so that the plate D as a whole moves in unison longitudinally with the shoes B and C. lt is thought the operation will be understood from the previous description of the operation of the construction illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3.

I claim:

l. In a friction draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with draft sills, a draw bar and yoke-acting means associated therewith, of shock absorbing mechanism operativelyassociated with the draw bar and yoke-acting means, said mechanism including a plurality of wedges at each end. there# of and movable parallel to the axis of the draft rigging, central and lateral friction members friction'ally engaging with said end wedges and provided with cope ating means preventing relative longitudinal movement therebetween, said lateral friction members being relatively separable at right angles to the center line of the draft rigging, said central friction member and end wedges having coperable l'riction faces extending parallel to the center line of the draft rigging, and spring means located entirely between the sills and within the yolre acting means for resisting said separating movement of the lateral friction members.

2. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with draft sills, a draw bar and yokeacting means, of a friction shock absorbing mechanism operatively associated with said draw bar and yoke-acting means, said mechanism including end wedges arranged to be actuated upon movement of the draw bar and yolre-acting means, central and side friction members frictionally engaging with said wedges and provided with coperating means preventing relative longitudinal movement therebetween, said side friction members being rela-tively separable and at right angles to the line of movement of said draw bar and yoke-acting means, the central friction member and said end wedges having rectilineal movement only parallel to the center line of the draft rigging, and spring means located entirely between the sills and Within the yoke-acting means for resisting the separating movements of said side friction members.

3. In a friction shock absorbingmechanism, the combination with a pair of wedges at each end of the mechanism, the wedges of eachl pair being spaced and provided with center friction faces extending parallel to the center line of the mechanism and with inwardly inclined friction wedge faces at their inner ends; of side friction members having wedge-shaped ends coperable with said inclined friction wedge faces of the end wedges, said side friction members being separated upon relative approach of said end wedges; centrally disposed friction means having the end portions thereof provided with friction faces extending parallel to the center line of the mechanism, said end portions being disposed between and cooperating with the parallel friction surfaces of the end wedges; and spring means for resisting relative separation of said side friction members and carried therein and located between the end Wedges.

4. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with a draw bar and a yokeacting meansand draft sills, of a friction shock absorbing mechanism associated with said draw bar and yoke-acting means, said mechanism including end sets of wedges, the wedges of each set being spaced'and said wedges having movement only in lines parallel to the center line of the draft rigging and actuated by the draw bar and yokeaf-.ting means, a central friction member having its ends interposed between said end 'wedges and frictionally cooperating therewith, side friction members having wedgeshaped ends coperable with the end wedges, the side members being separated upon relative approach of said end sets of wedges, and spring means for resisting separating movement of said side friction members, said springs extending through the central friction member and compressible in a direction at right angles to the center line of the draft rigging.

5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with end wedges movable relatively toward each other; of central and side friction members frictionally engaging with said wedges, said side friction members being relatively separable and at right angles to the line of relative movement of said end wedges, the center friction member and the wedges being restricted to relative rectilinear movement; and spring means resisting the separating movements of said side friction members, the spring means being located intermediate the end Wedges and carried Within the side friction members.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with pairs of end wedges; of a central friction member coperable with said end wedges; side friction members coperable with said end wedges, said central friction member being recessed intermediate its ends, and a spring entending transversely through said recess, said spring being compressed upon relative separation of said side members.

7. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with the draft sills, stop-acting means, draw bar and yoke-acting means, of end wedges arranged in pairs and movable parallel to the-center line of the gear, a central friction member coperable with said wedges, side friction members also coperable with said wedges, said side and central friction members being movable in unison parallel to the center line of draft, and spring means located entirely between the sills for resisting relative movement of said v friction members.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 14 day of Jan., 1919.`

JOHN F. OCONNR.

Witness CARRIE GAILING. 

